gitp_empirefandomcom-20200214-history
Skarval
Skarval is a region of the Glazfelli Hegemony. Geography The region of Skarval exists in a strange dualistic state, as its upper and lower landmasses are very different. Extending from the base of Frosskov's foothills, Skarval's upper landmass is mostly arid, cool flatland, with a thin layer of succulent vegetation disguising the rocky landscape. It is almost like a desert up there, though not as extreme a one as Sah'raa further south. Some Goblins similar to the variety from the Sahra'a live here, but there is little else of value on the highland. The region actually receives fairly frequent rainfall in its northern parts and as runoff from Frosskov, which begs an important question: Where is all of that water going? The answer lies in Skarval's lower landmass, a series of flowing river valleys that take the water south and west, flowing through Southern Felitora and the Drugaudian Steppes to the sea. These valleys flow with warm and arid winds coming north from the Sah'raa dunes, but the land itself is marshy and wet. The variety of plant life in these valleys is truly staggering, though the tendency of marshy land to become a cesspit of mosquitoes and disease makes such land poor for actual habitation. The great rocky tables that make up the upper landmass are riddled with holes from constant erosion however, some of which expand into true caves. These are much better for habitation, as they are protected from the hot winds and shaded from the sun. Many of them are also wet, and several varieties of subterranean flora and fauna exist. People Frosten and Catfolk live here, mostly as colonists. The bulk of the population is composed of the Skarvali, fey-blooded humans. They appear somewhat wispy and translucent in color, such that they tend to blend into the background when one isn't really looking at them or even alert. The Skarvali do not seem to like the sun much, and generally stick to the caves. The upper reaches of the tepui are lightly populated by Goblins, but are otherwise fairly lifeless. Culture The Skarvali are people of few words and don't seem to like the sun very much. Some say these are holdover traits from the Tieflin, while some just point out that the Skarval sun is uncomfortably hot and the Frosten experience some confirmation bias on that matter. Whatever the case, the people of Skarval tend to cluster into small towns carved out from the sides of the Tepui, and live with their extended families in predominately stone homes. Metal tools are relatively new to their society, but their position as a sign of status is faltering due to Glazfelli imports and they are coming into more mainstream use. History Skarval is believed to have been homogeneously human at some point, possibly having come from further east. However, most family lines among the Skarvali originate in the southwest, suggesting that they have some lineage from the Drugaud region as well. The Catfolk are a more recent addition, having spread from the southern parts of Frosskov some eighty-odd years before the Frosten. The Frosten population is most recent, having only appeared a mere decade before Skarval was peaceably absorbed into the Glazfell Hegemony. Resources Skarval's Herbs are valuable primarily for their edibility and useful culinary applications, but some Guilderene scholars have claimed that they might also have alchemical purposes. Stone is also readily available from Skarval in several varieties, as it can be easily mined from the huge table formations. The Skarval Region is poor in metals both precious and practical, but the latter variety is far more important to daily life than the former. Thanks to Bronze imports from the Glazfell, the inhabitants of Skarval are finally able to treat metal tools as anything less than the most precious of treasures. Religion The Skarvali used to have a pagan religion of their own, in which their Gods lived at the top of the tepuis. However, a death knell was sounded when missionaries from Sycia demonstrated that no gods lived upon the plateaus, just a few goblins. With the tenets of their previous faith clearly debunked and their gods evidently false, nearly all resistance to the Doctrine of Frost disappeared. References http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17512176&postcount=2 Category:Regions Category:Regions of Telluris